Red Nights
by JheneJhene
Summary: Aoki Sasaki is a young fashionista and linguist with a diverse background. On the surface she seems incredibly well rounded. Underneath the facade she has one goal in mind. Devoting her life to the yakuza group that saved her life. She gains respect and position with the Awakusu's. However she jeopardizes everything when she starts a steamy relationship with one of their top execs.


_**Okay, I finally did the thing. Here's the long overdue prologue for my Aka-babe story. I've been working on this story for about two years now and if you follow me you've probably heard me mention it here and there but I'm finally posting it.**_

 _ **This will be a little more NSFW than my other story with some more touchy subjects. First, I'd like to give fair warning that this one may not be everyone's cup of tea. There will be a lot of graphic sexuality and a very particular relationship dynamic. I don't mean to offend anyone by it.**_

 _ **I'm not sure how much of this content I'll be able to get away with on ffdotnet so this will be posted on AO3 and Wattpad as well. Both links can be found in my bio.**_

 _ **So! This is the prologue which will be heavy with backstory. Sexy time will definitely come later but you gotta start somewhere, am I right? Substance! Substance! Substance! Whats a story without it? Though if you're into shameless smut, you can follow by DRRR requests tumblr for that kind of thing. Link also in my bio.**_

 _ **Okay! Okay! Let's get right to it.**_

* * *

Aoki tapped her foot impatiently as she scanned the rest of the street market. They had been at this for ten minutes at least. She huffed an irate breath as her eyes found her grandmother again. She stood where she had been standing this whole time in front of a large fruit display. She grabbed a peach and examined it closely, lightly squeezing to check it's firmness. Aoki pursed her lips watching, hoping this would be the end of it. But of course, her grandmother put it back and picked up another, repeating her thorough examination.

"They're all the same grandma!" She finally whined. "Just pick one!"

Her grandmother responded with a string of Chinese curses and continued about her business, paying her granddaughter no mind at all.

Aoki Sasaki had lived in Ikebukuro most of her life despite her diverse background. Her father was Japanese and a native to Tokyo. Her mother, however, was Chinese and Russian. Her grandmother met her grandfather while he was on business in Bejing. They traveled because of her grandfathers work, but eventually settled down in Japan, opening and maintaining a successful flower shop for many years.

Her grandfather passed and her parents separated and moved on, along with her many siblings. They now lived with families between Bejing and Moscow with other relatives but nothing could pry her grandmother away from the business she'd had with her husband for decades. Alone, she kept the flower shop going, much to Aoki's dismay. Yet, she wouldn't abandon the grumpy old thing. Responsibility for elders ran thick in her culture, so she remained in Ikebukuro.

* * *

Aoki kept an annoyingly slow pace next to her grandmother as they walked back to their shop. She heaved a sigh as she adjusted all the heavy grocery bags she was forced to carry.

" _Get rid of that attitude."_ Her grandmother spat at her in Mandarin as she shuffled along.

Aoki shot her a glare. _"We'd be home by now if you weren't so cheap. Why do you have to haggle over everything?"_ She responded fluently.

" _Those peaches were too small! Way overpriced!"_ The old woman complained.

" _You're so embarrassing._ " She mumbled.

Aoki fell silent while her grandma continued ranting. It wasn't anything she hadn't heard before. She was a cranky old woman and could complain about just about anything all day long. Aoki had learned to somewhat tune out the strings of fast, abrasive Chinese words.

She saw it out of the corner of her eye. The van pulled up slowly alongside them and rode unnervingly close. Just when she began to feel uncomfortable it seemed to speed up. There was relief when she thought it would pass them but suddenly the back door slid open and strong hands reached out for her. She instinctively pulled away, bracing herself out of fear, but she was too late. The man roughly grabbed her by her arm and shirt and forcefully yanked her inside the vehicle.

Aoki belted out a scream as she was easily overpowered and pulled into the unfamiliar car. "Grandma!" She shouted desperately.

She could hear her grandmother shouting and cursing back but it did no good. Another man shoved the old woman back and yanked the sliding door shut as the van sped off. She struggled as hard as she could against her assailants grip.

"Grandma! Grandma!" She screamed as she thrashed. "Grand-!" She was silence when she was roughly gagged with some kind of rag.

"Well, well! We've got a feisty one here!" She heard the man say as he held her tightly.

She heard another man cackle. "She's gonna make some rich bastard really happy." He said as he yanked her arm toward him while the other restrained her.

"Night night." He told her in a sing song way.

She yelped and fought when she felt a prick in her arm. Shortly after, everything started to become distorted and eventually faded to black.

* * *

When everything started to come back Aoki was horribly disoriented. She tried to push up off the dirty mattress that she laid upon but found her arms unresponsive. Her lips parted but she couldn't form words. Everything about her was sluggish and delayed. Once the scattered memories from earlier started to come back it became obvious to her. She had been drugged.

She managed to roll onto her side with some effort. The full room came into view but it was so hard to focus on anything in particular. She was so high. It was as if she were trying to gain clarity from a dream. Her eyes panned around nonsensically and the voices of the men who occupied the space sounded distant and distorted. It seemed like there were three voices...

"How many is that?"

"Four with this one."

"There was one more over in that apartment near Sunshine. They looked illegal."

"Let's not get greedy. These four will fetch us a pretty penny."

"We should get going soon... Drop them off, get the cash and be done with it..."

Her eyelids began to flutter as she desperately tried to stay conscious. She realized she was in some kind of apartment, but couldn't gather anymore details in her current state. She yelped when she was roughly tugged by the forearm to the edge of the mattress. Her head came to hang there and she was further disoriented viewing the room upside down.

The man roughly cupped her face, glowering down at her. "What did you say this one way?"

"Chinese, or something."

"She looks mixed to me."

"You saw the old woman, didn't ya? Who the hell cares? They're not gonna do an ancestry report."

Her assailant gave a low chuckle as he unbuckled his belt.

"Hey!" One of his accomplices called. "What the hell do you think you're doing? You're going to take a chunk off the price!"

"I'm just using her mouth!" The man justified crudely. "She can consider it practice for her soon to be 'owner.' How am I supposed to pass this off without having a taste myself?" He said, looking down at her with a dark smirk.

Aoki wanted to fight and scream. To allow herself to lay here and be assaulted... To be used and sold into slavery... This had to be some kind of nightmare. Tears streamed from her eyes. The soft whimpers she gave were the only protest she could muster. In her panic and delirium she found herself making silent promises. Wordless pleas for her life. She'd give her whole heart and soul to anyone or anything if she were spared right now... If she were saved... If she could make it out of this horrible place and see another monotonous day arguing with her grandmother over peaches...

"Hey!" The other accomplices hushed voice came. "I think someone's here." He said as he peeked through the blinds of the front window.

The room became quiet and tense. Aoki again tried to get up while the men were distracted. Her arms felt like noodles but she managed to bend her knees and plant her feet against the mattress, pathetically scooting her upper body off the bed and onto the floor. She mustered another scoot. And then another until the rest of her limp body flopped onto the floor.

Suddenly the room came alive with shouting and banging. Aoki couldn't even begin to make out what was happening in the chaos that came bursting into the apartment. Gun shots sounded like claps of thunder and the apartment flashed like lightening. She deliriously stared at the apartments ceiling as the lights and colors of madness danced. In that time and state she was in, it was no different from a thunder storm. Awareness was slipping away again but this time she didn't fight it. She allowed the room and noises around her to fade.

She was on the cusp of consciousness when someone new gently lifted her off the floor. "Don't worry, sweetheart. You're alright." The new mans voice told her. "I think this is her" He called to the rest. "She fits the description. Grab the other three and head back to the main office. And get clean up in here ASAP."

Those were the last words Aoki could process. Black again.

* * *

"Are you with us, my dear?"

Aoki heard a voice ask. Another voice softly mumbled. When she began to wake more fully she realized the second voice was her own. Senseless words spilled from her lips as she finally woke from the tremendous high she'd been suffering for hours.

There was finally a sense of clarity. Her vision was steady and her hearing was clear and undistorted. Her head ached and her clothes clung to her sweaty body but the effects of the drugs seemed to have mostly passed. With her senses back, she looked around the room. She was laying on a leather couch and it seemed to be some sort of office, decorated with traditional Japanese décor.

A wrinkled face hovered over her. "Ah, there we are..." The old man observed her more aware state.

Given the recent danger, she sat up and shied away from the unfamiliar man.

"Now, now," He consoled, steadying her at the shoulder. "You're alright. No one will hurt you here. I promise." He could tell by her face she wasn't quite convinced. "Your grandmother sent us to find you." He explained.

"Grandma?" She asked curiously.

"Yes. She called us when you were abducted with the plate number. We got to you as quickly as possible." He informed her.

The room came into better view now that she was sitting. It was clearly some kind of office but there was nothing to indicate what kind of building it was. There were no company logos or products. Nothing looked familiar and her grandmother hardly spoke to anyone at all. All of this made her confused and skeptical. "Who are you? And how do you know my grandma?"

The old man flicked his wrist and a sharp, loud snap resounded in the room. The quick action caused Aoki to jump but not a moment later another man knelt in front of her offering a hot cup of tea. After an unsure pause she took it.

"My name is Dougen Awakusu and I'm the head of a certain chivalrous organization that makes its home here in Ikebukuro." He informed her. "Your grandfather was an old friend of the company. We established a strong Russian ally with his assistance." He went on to say.

Yakuza, she realized. This man and the men that had come to save her. They were Yakuza...

"I know this has been difficult, but I'd like to extend my personal gratitude." He continued. "You've helped us bust a local group of individuals that were orchestrating some kind of trafficking ring targeting foreign families. Particularly young girls. And that's not something I tolerate on my turf."

Despite his kind words she remained on edge.

The old man softened. She looked so scared. Not the pure terror and adrenaline from earlier but a deep fear, freshly planted and growing. She'd seen a crack in her pleasant little world. Found the line between the light of day and the shadows that he and his own had come to thrive in.

"It's alright." He comforted. She looked up, surprised by the soft tone from such an intimidating man. "As long as the Awakusu's are around, no one will ever hurt you again." He assured her.

With his kindness and sincerity her doubts finally gave way. She allowed herself to lower her guard and feel some relief.

"My granddaughter was born recently." He went on to say, surprising her. "She hasn't been on this Earth long, but I'd do anything for her." He said with a smile. "You remind me of her."

It seemed so strange. When Aoki thought of Yakuza, she thought of hardened, tattooed men, roughing up storefront owners for protection money. She thought of hits and guns and scandal. These men were clearly far from angels. But they had saved her life. And now their boss, possibly one of the most dangerous men in Ikebukuro, was taking the time to make her feel safe again.

"Do you do well in school?" He suddenly asked.

"Yes." She replied without hesitation. She had always been a remarkable student. Marginally due to the pressure of her family.

"What's your favorite subject?"

"I like language studies."

"Do you speak Russian?"

She nodded. "Mandarin too."

He chuckled. "And so young! Such a smart girl!" His statement had her bursting with pride. The trauma of the day finally began to fade. "You have a bright future ahead of you." He told her. "With a talent like that you can make an amazing career for yourself. I hope you keep working on it."

"I will." She told him eagerly.

"Excuse me, sir." They both looked up to the associate waiting at the door. "Mrs. Maklakov is here to pick up her granddaughter."

Aoki had never been so happy to hear those words. The ordeal was finally over. She was going home. She was safe.

"Well, it seems our time together has come to an end, my dear." The boss said with a smile. "Time to go home."

Aoki took one more sip of tea before setting in on the small table and standing. "Thank you so much." She said with a polite bow.

The old man wave her off, as if he hadn't done anything at all. As Aoki left the room though, the seeds of what the Awakusu organization had done for here had been planted deeply in her heart.

* * *

Her grandmother had never been an affectionate woman. Yet when she saw Aoki, she pulled her into her arms and hugged her like she never had. After the tearful reunion they were escorted home. The Awakusu's promised to keep an eye on them until they were sure the threat was completely eliminated.

Their drive home was a silent one. Once back at their shop her grandmother made her hot soup and drew a bath with eucalyptus oil. Aoki silently wondered if she should get kidnapped more often...

It wasn't until late that night that her grandmother finally decided to speak as she sat on the edge of Aoki's bed. Aoki wasn't even aware she could speak such perfect Russian.

She explained that the business her grandfather had been doing in Bejing when they met when she was a young woman wasn't of the legitimate sort, though she didn't come to know that for a while. Her grandfather was trying to distance himself from his past but he had made many enemies. It was a long time before their lives became comfortable. Even years after Aoki's mother was born. Their time here in Ikebukuro was the best of those times. Their Russian friends along with the allies her grandfather made in this city finally gave them security. So here is where they put down their roots. Now her grandfather was gone and everything they used to run and hide from seemed to be gone with him. Yet every now and then, her grandmother was reminded. It was in this tone she gave Aoki a firm warning. She had been a completely normal young girl when she met her grandfather but she learned quickly so that she could survive. Life could be ugly and sometimes your only choice was being even uglier.

Aoki lay tucked in her bed with a strange wonder in her eyes. She hung of her grandmother's every word, suddenly feeling a connection in her blood she'd never felt. As if she'd just found out she had some kind of superhuman power in her DNA. As if she were made from something else entirely. Her boring life of watching her grandmother collecting peaches faded to the outskirts of her mind. Had this really been who she was up until now? What a shame, to let that be her legacy. Considering those who came before her. And those still out there now...

Her grandmother saw the change in her eyes. Dougen Awakusu couldn't have known what his words would do. And her grandmother supposed her own confessions were long overdue. She had hoped to keep Aoki from the world under the fine layer of peace in the city around them, as she had with her other children. Yet one look in Aoki's eyes and she knew. She wore the same face. She recognized it. She used to stare at it in mirrors long ago.

Her grandmother knew right then and there. She and Aoki would share many parallels in their lives. Though separated by many decades, their spirits walked hand in hand.

* * *

 ** _10 YEARS LATER_**

"This can't be right." Dennis complained, scanning the order form for the days inventory delivery.

"Maybe you are making mistake when ordering." Simon replied.

"Why the hell would anyone order this much Shishamo!?" The chef complained. There were three whole crates of the googly eyed little fish here. Clearly he'd screwed up the order.

"We can have special!" Simon chimed in typical glass half full fashion. "Shishamo sushi! Shishamo tempora! Deep fried-"

"Just get it back to the fridge." Dennis cut him off, pinching the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger.

Both Russians looked up when the door to the establishment was pulled open and a young woman strode inside. "Sorry!" Dennis called to her. "We won't be open for another hour."

The woman smiled at his dismissive tone. "It's nice to see you too, Mr. Dennis."

"Aoki! Dennis, it's little Aoki!" Simon told him cheerfully.

Aoki Sasaki, Dennis realized. Their old friend Yuri Maklakov's granddaughter. He hadn't recognized her at all. It had been at least eight years... She had to be at least 25 by now. She was a far cry from the 'little Aoki' that had left Ikebukuro after her grandmothers passing. She was a woman now and looked the part, grown and comfortable in her feminine curves. Her hair was much shorter than she used to keep it, just shoulder length. It still held its natural waves, though they were a frosty blonde rather than a deep brown. The freckles under her eyes had faded and she'd grown into her cheeks and eyebrows.

"Well I'll be damned!" Dennis couldn't contain his surprise. "Look how grown you are!"

Aoki shrugged off his words with a smile. "I've been hearing that a lot lately."

"Come have a seat!" Dennis demanded, pulling a chair out at the sushi bar, which Aoki accepted. "So tell us everything! Where have you been? How's the family?" He asked, preparing something behind the counter for her. "Your mother?" He asked with a suggestive quirk of the brow.

"She and my dad separated but she's remarried to a nice doctor in Bejing." She explained.

Dennis scoffed at that. "Too bad. And what about you? How many languages are you chattering in now?"

"Four fluently." She said proudly. "Japanese, obviously, Mandarin, Russian and English. I'm working on my Spanish and Portuguese but I'm afraid my accent is atrocious in both."

"Geez, your folks must have paid a pretty penny in school. Weren't you the top of you class at Raira?" Dennis noted, offering her some edamame.

Aoki helped herself. "They never minded. They always assumed I'd make something of myself. Be some kind of political translator or work for the United Nations or something." She said, a soft chuckle in her voice.

"So! What brings you back to Ikebukuro then?" Dennis asked.

Aoki took her time, squeezing the little green beans out of their sleeves into her mouth. "I'm ready to start my career. I was hoping you could help me." She informed them nonchalantly.

"Oh really? Don't tell me you're looking for a job." He asked jokingly.

"No, the sushi business isn't for me."

"How can we help you then?"

There was a short pause as the mood seemed to change. "Where can I find the Awakusu's?" She asked.

The men were silent. They both eyed her, as if waiting for her to retract her statement. But the unfazed stare she gave in return made it clear she was completely serious.

Dennis sighed. "Aoki..." He began disapprovingly.

"I know you're going to try and talk me out of it but there's no point." She said before he could even begin. "I've spent the last ten years with one singular goal in mind there's nothing you can do to change my mind."

" _Little Aoki,"_ Simon's tone seemed much darker in Russian. It was like he was a different person. _"Your grandparents worked very hard to distance themselves from that kind of life."_

" _I understand that."_ She replied, her tongue just as natural in Russian as his. _"But they had their lives to live and now they're gone. It's my life now and whatever 'kind' I choose to live is up to me."_

" _Little Aoki-"_ Simon pressed.

" _Semyon,"_ She cut him off sternly. _"I'm doing this with or without your help. But we both know I'll be better off with it."_

Another silence. Simon and Dennis shared a look while Aoki indifferently waited. She knew the ball was in her court. She wanted the Russians on her side, but she was willing to go forward without them for now if necessary.

"You've come on excellent day!" Simon suddenly shouted in English, his demeanor shifting with his speech again. "We are having amazing special this week! Shishamo Spectacular! Shishamo sushi! Shishamo tempora! Deep fried Shishamo!-"

Aoki happily enjoyed the rest of her edamame while Simon went on. She knew she'd get what she wanted.

* * *

"Sir, she's here again. The young woman who wants to meet with you."

"What did she say her name was?" Dougen Awakusu asked with little interest.

"Aoki Sasaki, sir."

"I don't know anyone by that name." The boss dismissed. "Tell her I'm not in."

"We did yesterday sir, but she's back. She's rather insistent. She says she has business with you."

"If you can't get rid of some girl what the hell do I pay you for?" The boss asked irately, causing his subordinate to sink into himself a bit in intimidation. "Send her in..." The old man finally relented. It was probably an overzealous new journalist looking for a scoop.

The other man nodded obediently and left momentarily to retrieve their guest. Dougen took the moment to light a cigarette. After lighting up he flicked the match in his hand to put out the small flame, smoke billowing from his mouth.

His subordinate returned a short time later with the girl in tow. Now the boss was sure he had no idea who she was. He didn't recognize her at all. Surely he'd remember a woman as striking as her. She walked skillfully on her tall heels and wore a little black dress that hugged her body in all the right places. He wasn't too savvy on designers, but he didn't need to be to know it was expensive. He began to wonder if maybe she was a representative from another organization, or the Medei group itself... "Hello young miss. How can I help you?" He greeted her politely.

Aoki stood with excellent posture. She willed herself to look cool, calm and collected. She refused to let on that this was the most important moment of her life thus far. That she had been thinking about this moment since she was a young girl.

She smiled at the old man. He was a bit wrinklier now but otherwise hadn't changed. She, on the other hand looked completely different than she had all those years ago. "I didn't expect you to remember me." She told him. It wasn't surprising that he didn't recognize her. She imagined he probably didn't even remember such a small event in his obscure and eventful life.

"I'm sorry," He apologized. "Have we met before?"

"You saved my life when I was a fifteen." She explained. "I was abducted by sex traffickers and you sent your men to find me and bring me back." The old man's eyes softened as he exhaled a long breath of smoke, seeming to remember the incident. Still, she added. "I'm Yuri Maklakov's granddaughter."

The boss wouldn't have believed it if she hadn't explained. The girl looked completely different as an adult but it was certainly her. The frightened little girl he'd rescued all those years ago. He chuckled a bit. "Well, this is a surpsie." He admitted. "I'm happy to see you doing so well. What bring you here?"

"I'm ready to pay my debt." She said right away.

He looked at with a perplexed expression. "Debt?" He asked. "You're mistaken, my dear." He said right away." You have no debt to this organization."

"Of course I do." Aoki asserted. "You saved my life."

"As was our prerogative." He explained. "That doesn't mean you owe myself or this company anything."

"Be that as it may," She insisted. "I've spent a long time grooming myself into something useful to the Awakusu's."

The boss looked at her with disbelief. "My dear, I find it hard to believe that you've spent the last," He seemed to think. "Nine or ten years making yourself into a tool for the mafia."

Aoki shrugged. "Why don't you try me."

The room was visibly tense. The other men of the company that occupied the space were speechless. She was so confident. So cocky. Would the boss really tolerate someone like this? Even if she was a gorgeous young woman?

Dougen Awakusu looked over the girl carefully. It was clear she was puffing her chest. If she was some young upstart punk he'd knock her down a couple pegs. But she wasn't. To him she seemed to be a completely well rounded girl acting out. He decided to dismiss her a such. Despite her impressive lineage, he didn't feel right taking advantage of her enthusiasm.

"Find legitimate work." He told her sternly. "There's nothing for you here."

Aoki looked back at the old man carefully. She could feel the many eyes in the room on her. If she had any sense at all she'd thank the boss for his audience and turn to leave. But she had come too far. She'd spent too long thinking of this moment.

"Okay!" She said rather pleasantly, much to everyone's surprise. "You don't seem to be in the mood to hear me out today. I'll just come back tomorrow."

The men in the room held their breath. Had this girl just been so defiant? Though the boss was a chivalrous man, they weren't sure how'd he'd tolerate her insistent attitude.

Just as she was about to turn and leave the large office, the boss mashed his cigarette in the ashtray on his desk. "You've got some nerve, Miss Sasaki. You know that?" He asked.

"I do, sir." She admitted without hesitation.

The boss looked the girl over for a while. She was built like a model, not a gangster. What place could a girl like this possibly have in the yakuza? Yet her attitude struck him. Her confident stride and strong words moved him. As much as he wanted to dismiss her completely, the business man in him, regrettably, could not pass up the offer. He heaved a heavy sigh, casting a glance to one of his most trusted men.

"Find her work." He instructed.

* * *

 _ **Bae will be here next chapter and the real fun can begin. ;]**_

 _ **PLEASE REVIEW/FAVORITE/FOLLOW! Feedback gives me life.**_

 _ **Thanks for reading!**_


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